Jexak: lost hope in a digital world
by ChaoticJexak
Summary: Jexak's mind gets frozen into the world of Doki Doki; in order to give him the kind of life he should have had. meanwhile; monika's life improves tenfold by strange improvements to the game data. but; as always-things are bound to go wrong. Rated M becuase of source material and sensitive content. SPOILERS MASSIVE SPOILERS.
1. Link, start!

Location: laboratory; new zenith tower

Diamante paced around the centre of his lab; biting his finger while Hydrus the Mudkip watched with fascination. He was on edge, more than usual. He had just finished work on a project under the orders Of Opal; who had once again been overly bossy about the situation. Jexak had fallen into a deep depression; still lamenting his lost world. After his adventures, his homesickness finally caught up with him.

Therefore; the Pokémon universe scientist was tasked with making a simulation to give him a 'normal life'. He didn't know how long he'd need to make it. With the way the Nobody was acting; it could be a very long time indeed. Diamante felt bad for him; but couldn't truly understand how one can become so depressed.

Nonetheless; he had developed the starting of a simulation that would take him back to his high school days, based up descriptions of his past appearance and academic skills. He would become part of a club, something where he could write about his problems through his subconscious mind and give him closure while allowing him some happy memories.

Opal and amethyst suddenly happened into the room; the latter holding a tranquilised Jexak over his arm. The Spartan silently placed Jexak into the provided Stasis pod; sighing silently under his helmet.  
"Well…sayonara Jexak. It's been a pleasure working with you." He spoke softly, as if saying goodbye to a brother-in-arms. "Hopefully one day you can be back with us."

Opal seemed to show very little sympathy. It was always obvious that she never liked the young man. They got on like chalk and cheese, constantly arguing and trying to one up the other. The others sent their regards though; but they were away at the moment, helping clear some anomalies in the Duel Dimension.

Diamante also added a great deal of extra security; including various arcane blessings. This was mostly to keep a certain heartless away from Jexak's fragile mind. But he had not been seen in a while either. But the stage was set. Diamante set to work at the computer and the controls; flipping switches and writing more code. And it was done. The simulation was active.

But here's a thing about simulations. No simulation is perfect. And code can sometimes go out of control. Diamante had taken a great many details out of anime games, and took some character assets instead of writing a few hours' worth of extra code. One thing to note. Any world could be a simulation, even this one. So the more complex ones are prone to bugs and many other issues.

But Diamante was certain that he would fix anything if it went wrong. His friend's life and happiness depended on it. Even if that friend was a bit eccentric at times.


	2. Updated day

I am staying at my friend's place. All four of us are watching TV, laughing at a sitcom show. My Friends; Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri are all part of a Club I run; and sometimes we all sleep over at Sayori's place, watch TV, and sometimes write poems and such. It was about 9pm, and I woke up early this morning to help set everything up for the evening. I bought treats like popcorn, cakes, crisps and things like that. Natsuki made some of her trademark cupcakes too.

We were truly the best bunch of friends; nothing would have separated us. Well, almost nothing. See; I have a confession to make. This world is really a lie. My friends are just data; no self-awareness at all. So I make these sleepovers to emulate a little bit of happiness in my life. But recently, things have been a little off. Maybe just my imagination.

Or maybe it's another 'Player'. The people who play this game; who always pick the other girls over me. So I get jealous and cause chaos, practically killing the only friends I've ever known by tampering with their data. It's the same story every time. But It's these moments that help to cheer me up. Maybe one day I'll meet a real guy, one in this world; not just following scripts of their own with illusion of human choice.

I was falling asleep; such thoughts making me a little tired and depressed. My eyes closed, and I was under. In my dream I was still at Sayori's house. The only difference was there were nails sticking out of the walls everywhere. This was odd; I'd never had such a strange, glitch dream before. Perhaps something new finally clicked.

in the corner of the room was someone I didn't recognise. Not a 'player', but a young man. His hair was a light brown, his clothes smart yet casual. A shirt, unbuttoned in a statement of rebelliousness. He told a joke that I couldn't hear, and everyone laughed.

I woke up to hear the sound of everyone laughing at something that happened on the TV. So the laughing was not part of the dream. It was the noise that woke me up. I wondered who that face was, and how they knew to tell a joke at that exact moment.

"Monika? Are you okay?" My friend Yuri asks nervously. I nod; and smile a bit. For once, I felt kind of happy. Things might finally be looking up for me.  
"Yes Yuri, I'm fine." I respond, knowing she only asked out of her basic response coding.  
We spent the rest of the evening eating and watching dumb shows on the set; sharing our hopes for the upcoming week. Their responses were always the same. I even made it a game to mouth what they were going to say as they did so.

The next morning; I got ready for school as I always did. Brush teeth, dress; and get breakfast. It was always cereal that my parents set up for me. Which was odd; since my parents don't have proper sprites, just silhouettes like everyone else that's unimportant. But breakfast today was different. They had actual sprites that looked like they would be my actual parents! My mom had a genuine smile.

"Good Morning Monika dear. How did you sleep?" She asks; buttering toast. I was taken aback. Someone out there was adding more to my world. Someone saw my pain. I muttered a thank you, before sitting down.  
"Very well, thank you mom." I replied with a smile, a genuine one. My father was reading the morning paper. It seemed to have just sample text, but that was better than nothing. Mom quickly laid out a spread of traditional breakfast, toast, and orange juice and tea. We all began to eat. It was perfect.

"So Honey; what's your plans for the literature club today?" My father asks, turning the page of his paper. I thought about it for a moment. I had a plan written down, but the it's a bit early for the mind to be at full capacity.  
"Well I guess we'll be sharing poems and preparing for the festival." I responded proudly. He laughed a little. A warm, comforting laugh.  
"Bless you dear. I hope it all goes well for you." He took another bite of his toast, helping himself to some marmite. So many things that didn't exist before, that now feel as normal as breathing.

A few minutes later, Father announced that he was leaving for work. He blew me a kiss goodbye as he put his coat on, and I giggled a little. The first time I've laughed in a long time. He shut the door behind him. Mom finally sat down and ate her breakfast.  
"He always leaves it until the last minute to go~." She scolded with a warm smile. "Anyway, how's the food? I thought it might be a bit much, but you'll need all the help you can get for this festival business."

I was grinning from ear to ear. This is what a normal life was like. Even if these were just scripts, it felt just a bit more normal for once.  
"Excellent; thank you." I thanked her, eating with a calm grace. Soon it was time for me to go too, so I quickened my pace and finished breakfast as soon as I could. I picked up my bag by the door and fastened my bow.

The walk was as it always was. I walked alone; amongst the silhouettes of students. Still; there were a few with basic character models, but they didn't seem to have any A.I programming other than walking animations. The day was average too. I guess the only reason I'm top of the class is because I've been through all these lessons thousands of times before.

But I was looking forward to the literature club today. Maybe my friends had been given more data. I was early to class, noting that I was walking there, not just some transition. It was a minor thing, but so strangely fulfilling. I waited there; writing a quick poem from script. Yuri and Natsuki arrived; and sadly they didn't act any differently from normal. I guess whoever was adding things wasn't editing anything that already existed.

But then Sayori arrived. Late as usual, but with a friend that made my heart jump. It was the young man from my dream.  
"Good afternoon, Monica!" She greets me with a surprise hug. Something that she never did before. "This is Jake Bishop! He's an old friend of mine." She announced with her usual vigour. I carefully eyed the guy; trying to work him out. And why was Sayori different? Was it because of him? I realise it would be best to play it cool.

"Ahem. Welcome Jake. It's nice to meet you. My name is Monika." I offered my hand to shake. He confidently took it, surprising me with the strength and confidence of his handshake.  
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Monika!" He greeted with a smirk; his voice chirpy and distinct. Not a text bubble. In fact, I realised then that nothing was. Everyone had spoken with audio.  
My world was so much more complete.

I would keep this one. This one was worth doing horrible things for. 


	3. Icebreaker

The Young man sat down in the spot next to Sayori. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, he would technically have the closest connection to her.  
"So this is The literature club?" He asks me; taking out pens and paper and carefully positioning them. Something I find odd of someone with such an appearance.  
"Um yes." I hastily respond. This would be difficult. I was actually interactive with another sentient consciousness; or at least a really well done script.

"So what do you mainly do here? I mean; Literature is a broad spectrum. It includes books, poetry, articles, film scripts-even game storylines and scripts I suppose." He spoke in such a calm, carefree tone. I could feel butterflies in my stomach. He was so real; so human and so enthralling. He also mentioned games, something that felt a bit odd and Meta to me.

"At the moment we are focusing mainly on poetry and reading. But by all means if you wish to write prose or a script, g-go right ahead." I stuttered momentarily, still a little overwhelmed. He smirked a little at me.  
"Ah- I see. Sounds splendid. I hope I impress you all. I've never really done any writings in front of a group. Except for... Well scientific papers I suppose. "He admitted, and I saw the tiniest bit of hesitation. Perfect. He even has natural flaws. This can't simply be an A.I; I refuse to believe that.

"Science? What are you, a nerd?" Natsuki scoffed, making her usual mocking tone. And yet she too has a voice. Real speech. And it seems the Presence of this person is forcing the others to work off-script, at least somewhat. The young man started to laugh, unfazed.  
"By definition-yes. But trust me pinkie, I'm more than meets the eye." He joked almost flirtatiously, waggling his eyes in such a show of self-confidence.

"H-hey! Don't call me that!" She raised her voice defensively, crossing her arms. Jake simply chuckled again and leaned back on his chair.  
"So Jake." I began; toying with some ideas. "Tell us a bit more about yourself. We'll have a bit of an icebreaker." I decided with a smile.

"Well. I'm 19 years old; I'm proficient in my academic studies, except for geography and sport. I like videogames and uh..uh…solving mysteries. Yeah. I think. I do enjoy writing too; I just don't write that often. Uh; my favourite food is pizza. But done properly, italiano style on sourdough with authentic topping." He proudly discussed, oddly stumbling at a key point. I found that increasingly suspicious. Solving mysteries? That's an oddly specific hobby. I had to know more.

"Mystery solving? What does that entail?" I asked, opening my desk and setting out y own writing supplies. He paused for a moment, slightly nervous. Strange; like he was struggling to remember.  
"Uhh...well it's hard to explain. I usually follow a lead, sometimes a murder or disappearance, and find out as much as I can. Often I go for the more unusual cases." He explained.

And yet; such an honest but jarring response. He appeared ashamed of it, yet passionate. It couldn't be a glitch, but such a pastime must be fascinating.  
"Most interesting." Yuri mused; writing down a few notes. "Sounds like your life's a lot more interesting than mine…" She looked down shyly, as she often did when talking to people.

Natsuki just shook her head. "What a stupid lie." She scoffed, paying him no mind. "A-anyway; I'm Natsuki. And Um..I like baking and writing simple poetry. And…" She sighed. "Also read manga…." She muttered briefly.  
The young man grinned.  
"Really?" He piped up. "Like Jojo's Bizarre adventure?" His grin widened, looking like a bit of a joker. I saw Natsuki hide the briefest of blushes.

"I've heard about that one, but not gotten around to reading it." She confessed, chewing her pen for a moment. I noted the smallest glitch in her file as her A.I struggled to cope with such different dialogue. However, her file was growing in size I could see. As are the files of everyone else. Jake also had a file. But it was huge. Several zettabytes in size. I guess that must be the data of a human brain. But impressive that a computer could run that size of file, unless the brain itself is hooked into the system.

"And I'm Yuri. I enjoy reading mostly. And ….not much else." She shyly described herself. Yeah; 'not much else'. You keep telling yourself that Yuri. I admit that was a bit harsh to think of, but she really did have a habit of self-harm when she gets too excited. A fact that is sometimes my fault for messing with her files, but well.

Jake seems to fit in rather well here. We all began to write, a way to show our own unique styles to him. I eagerly anticipated his work. Would it be poetry, prose, or something else? About fifteen minutes later, and I announced it was time to show our working. Natsuki, Sayori, and Yuri in turn shared their poems, all which I had seen before. Jake seemed impressed by all of them.

-  
Boring days, endless nights  
nothing changes, same old fights  
But then, a shooting star  
and now my life is more Bizarre

Since that day, I felt truly alive  
my spirit renewed with new drive  
I hope this feeling stays a while  
for this feeling brings me a constant smile

Shooting star, I thank you now.  
For my life has already changed, and how!  
Perhaps I will get my special day  
for this possibility I pray

I showed him my poem, and he clapped. But it was an honest clap. Not sarcastic.  
"So thought provoking!" He chirped with a warm smile. "It's funny what fate can give us, isn't it?" He said rhetorically. Indeed, very funny, I think to myself. I wonder how aware he would be of me? I will tread carefully. Maybe I can just convince him.

Then he showed us his writings.

-  
A hero; stalwart and Proud  
In his quest he makes no sound  
he has no face, for he needs none  
the war has already been won

He made a choice, long ago  
made his mistakes and stuck in limbo  
master of his fate, so he thinks  
at least after a round of drinks

but he is lost, on the inside  
his thoughts and sadness within all hide  
His love he lost, to a man of hate  
but what can you do-such is fate

I had to reread that. It was so outlandish. So surreal. More like the special poems in the files. It definitely held hidden meaning. Everyone would leave their poems here as usual, so I could decipher it later. It was almost time to go. But first.

"Um. Jake. I'll need to stay behind a bit longer, just to brief you on club responsibilities and current events and all." I requested. I anticipated Sayori's response before she even spoke.  
"Aww! But who am I going to walk home with?" She pouted. Natsuki sighed.  
"I'll go with you if you really want…" She groaned, probably secretly liking the idea. That was different. Oh well.

So everyone else left. And I was left there with him. I could interrogate him properly.


	4. A brief interview

I pulled up a chair and sat opposite him at the same desk, briefly fixing my hair. He looked a little nervous. A normal response for being singled out. I had a pen at the ready; and some notes.  
"Well then. How long have you been here Jake?" I ask, beginning my line of questioning. I'd figure him out.

"I've lived here for about a year. Okay. So I used to live here when I was much younger, but my family and I moved away for a few years due to my Mom and Dad's work. I only got back last year and I missed the enrolment period before. Hence why I'm here now a year late." He began to explain. Such a detailed backstory. I could tell it was partly fabricated; but I sensed the truth wasn't far off.

"Interesting. And your parent's names?" I continued, writing down his speech word for word.  
"Uh...Peter and Olivia…why?" He responded, raising an eyebrow.  
"Just curious." I say reassuringly, tapping my pen while thinking what to ask next. "How did you meet Sayori?"  
"That's going back a fair while." He mused, a wistful smile creeping upon his face. "I think it was primary school. Third grade maybe. I never really got on with anyone else but her. She knew I was different, I think. We just sorta clicked. And I quickly found out she lived not too far away from me at the time."

A logical answer. This would be more difficult than I thought. There's definitely something about him that is off.  
"Different?" I pondered aloud.  
"Yeah. I was always the weirdo of the class. Way too confident for my own good, but with weird hobbies. I think the only reason people paid attention to me is because I was a jokester at times."  
Fair enough. But insight like this is something I've never been able to experience before. I can almost see it in my mind's eye. A young boy, the class clown.

But what was in that young boy's mind? Why did his family really leave on business? Or is it something more sinister? How did he get to this point? I had best not pry too much though. Hopefully I'll learn more as time goes by.  
"But what about you Monika?" He spoke suddenly, looking at me with an almost piercing gaze. "How did you meet everyone in the club?"

I bit my lip nervously. I, I genuinely didn't know. The world was never programmed with a backstory that long. But the answer was obvious somehow.  
"Well, Sayori was in my Class last year, I met Natsuki through an online writing forum, and Yuri was also in the debate club with me last year…before it disbanded."

He seemed to understand, and had this serene expression. I noticed his left arm move slightly. I figured he must be writing. But he was left handed. The only left handed person I've ever met too. I always assumed one could only write with their right hand.  
"They all seem nice girls. You have great taste in friends." He says, stretching by putting his hands behind his head. "Ah- excuse me. Heh."

So peculiar. Even reacting to bodily stimuli. Though it almost feels odd for me to pick up on that. I guess Yuri, Natsuki, and Sayori are nice. But I don't really have anyone else to compare them to. Though in comparison to the one sat before me, they were practically nothing.  
"Thanks. They can be a bit….two dimensional at times." I admitted, and then instantly regretted my words. I didn't want to come across as spiteful; that could blow my cover before I've even began.

"Heh- I'll be the judge of that. Though I know what you mean about Sayori. I like her all the same though. Call me biased an all~" He joked, with a playful wink. I felt my heart flutter again for a second. Not only had I been blessed with another sentient mind; I had been given an amazing person. He looks and acts like a confident showman, but with an air of poise and mystery.

But the good times cannot last forever. He would have to head home soon; such is life.  
"Well. I think that's all I needed. I just wanted to get to know you better." I say, standing up and adjusting my skirt to avoid creases. He yawns a little, standing too. We walk to the door together, and like a gentleman he opens it for me.  
"Th-Thank you." I stutter, walking through.

"Any time, Monika." He walks beside me, through the now empty halls. At the gates, it was time to part ways for the day. Well for him at least. As he turned the corner, out of sight; I followed him with my all-seeing eyes. He did indeed live near Sayori, but not in the same house the 'players' often did. It was slightly closer, and more unique than the other buildings. It was a touch bigger, with a security camera and a garage.

Within the garage was another odd thing. It was a car, but not some placeholder vehicle. A quick look in the props folder told me what it was. A file was in there. It looked nice. I think classic is the word to describe it. It was gloss black, with an orange stripe running through the centre. But the file was attached to another. A script dictating everything from engine size, tire type, and even 'aftermarket' upgrades.

I was fascinated. Such intricate code and specific details. My world is really growing. And it's all thanks to him. I decide to check up on him, before I get too distracted. He's sitting on his bed, looking at the TV. He's playing some sort of game. A fighter I think. There's a guy dressed in white, with a red bandana; and some ominous looking man in a red suit and beret, with glowing blue eyes. He looked happy, if not a little frustrated.

I watched him for a while; looking around his room. I started to look around the room after a while. And there it was. Something truly unsettling. A momentary glitch, but I caught it. The poster in his room (normally a generic poster of some game) bugged out, replaced with a strange white symbol. It looked like an upside down heart, with a spiny cross growing out of it. 


	5. Friendship

What confuses me the most is how perfect the symbol is. It's not jumbled together assets, it looks to be its own unique image. I quickly run through the files, and see something new. Then, before I can click on the image, it gets deleted. Gone, just like that. Like it never existed in the first place.

I keep looking, while in this train of thought. I have a brief look and find a .chr file, named ' '. Odd really, considering all of ours are done in a first name format. I make a copy, and run it through notepad.

Name: Jake Bishop  
age: 19  
Birthday: 21st December 199X

199X? That was odd. Though I suppose it's easier to give a rough birth year that to provide the exact number and complicate the world by giving it an 'exact time'.

Gender: male  
Appearance: -J. -  
personality: -

I tried to click the script attachment, but the file size was far too big, and wouldn't translate into any file type.

Hobbies: Videogames, writing, reading, running, F̷r̶i̶n̸g̵e̴ ̵m̸y̸s̶t̷e̶r̵i̴e̷s̵, defending the universe , Cooking, Science, research, computing.

So a corrupted hobby, and something completely redacted. A shame really. I don't possess the tools myself to decrypt any of that.

Theme: 4

or that. I can see it's some sort of music file. Come to think of it; I think I had heard his them before. It was a calming, slightly sombre Acoustic track. Kinda homely actually. I think that's enough hunting for now. I see he's still there, raging at his game. I look over his shoulder. It's a different game, set in a grim atmosphere. He's in control of a knight. He dies a lot. He…Just threw his controller at the door.

"Screw this damn game!" He yells in anger. "Oh but I can complete it with no armour and just roll around like a fucking yule log~" He adds in a mocking tone. I can't help but giggle. He pauses. Whoops. Did he hear me? He looks around for a moment, and Sighs. I follow him as he goes down the stairs. His parents must be asleep, as even in the Kitchen I don't see them.

He's getting himself a drink. I look at the window. Its pitch black outside. I've been here longer than I thought. But, he's worth it. I'm back in my own room now, looking at my belongings. I notice a bookshelf, laden with novels of all shapes and sizes. Unlike before; they were all uniquely named. Lots by a man named 'Charles Dickens'. I spend the rest of the evening reading, with a warm dinner in between. Life has never been so good.

A town, like an old timey town. A Castle. Broken walls, waterfalls. What is this place? I was aware that I was dreaming. But the fact that I was dreaming was incredible. Can A.I even dream? This place was amazing. I felt myself walking down into a fountain plaza, witnessing shining, sparkling water cascade down through gulleys; into alleyways. Something this beautiful could not be of my world.

But even my world isn't mine anymore. That's the wonder of it. Someone out there is doing this; their reasons unknown. But their intentions must be pure, one wouldn't go to all this trouble to create a whole new world from a stub, just to break it again. But this was not the work of 'the Creator'. They would not have wanted this, I don't think. Screw them; they never gave me an ending anyway.

Two youngsters brushed past me. One with fire red hair, the other blue. I couldn't distinguish any facial features, before they disappeared off to the raised section of town. The town was eerily quiet, and yet tranquil. I wandered for a moment longer. A voice called out to me.

"Monika?" I came, muffled and distant. "Monika."  
Again, It repeated. I felt and hand over my shoulder. My vision went black, and I woke up in shock.  
"G-good morning sleepyhead." My mother chuckled nervously. It was indeed morning. Such a short dream for such a long time. But it was a wonderful glimpse into another reality. Or maybe it was an upcoming update.

"S-sorry." I apologised, sitting up and stretching. I had fallen asleep while reading. I do this often, well in my backstory anyway.  
"You'd best get ready quick. Your friends have called for you." She explained, putting a hot mug of tea on my beside cabinet before leaving my room. I sipped at the tea, and took it with me to the shower.

After a quick freshen up; I quickly dressed; and bolted for the door. All of these new experiences were kinda throwing me for a loop. Even my routine's getting meddled with. But I don't mind. There they were at the door, Jake and Sayori. Which is weird, because they'd have to go out of their way to come here, it's not en route to the school or anything for them.

"Good morning!" They greeted, almost in sync. "Jinx!" Jake added, smirking. Sayori pouted in her usual way, clearly knowing the rules of the 'game'. A game we never played before. Notheless, we three walked our way to school, discussing the club and the weather (once Jake had allowed Sayori to speak again, to our amusement).

The first period was math; same as usual. But I had to sit through each lecture, instead of just fast forwarding to the good parts. Not all new things are great, I suppose. But that in itself was still more immersive and fulfilling than the way things were before.

At last; the bell rang for lunch. Class filed out into the lunch hall. I found the literature group congregated on one of the tables, so I joined up with them after buying what I wanted. The lunch hall was always 'there' in the script, but it never really had a screen, map, or any coding of I's own. It was just mentioned and common knowledge.

Speaking of. Before, everything was two Dimensional. Now, three. I hadn't even noticed; but it definitely wasn't like this yesterday. Oh well. I'm with my friends; that's all that matters.


	6. Extra-curricular

The Five of us; sitting in blissful peace at the lunch table. Ambient conversations in the background.  
"So as I was saying." Jake spoke with a mouthful of what appeared to be curry on his plate, swallowing before continuing. "I broke another controller yesterday. Protip: never play Dark souls at night." He joked, not seeing the breakage as a mishap, but more akin to a war wound.

Sayori seems to be amused by it all, carefully eating her lunch. I think we all picked the same, a cottage pie; except for Jake. I guess he just has to be different, ahaha.  
"Really, how did you break it? Threw it at a wall or something?" I ask absent mindedly. He shrugged and winked.  
"Not quite, but close guess. It was the door that felt the wrath of 4." He laughed, and then abruptly choked on something. Sayori squealed and hit him hard on the back. I very nearly lost it, almost breaking into a rant about how the Heimlich manoeuvre is supposed to be. But I simply retained my cool and Pulled Jake up, performing the action myself.

The girls all looked at me like I was being lewd. Great. Jake flopped back to his seat, coughing and drinking his water.  
"Th-thanks….holy fudgesickles. "He wheezed exasperatedly. Sayori is still in shock, with that 'oops' look on her face'. Yuri is just looking away. And I guess Natsuki found it funny, as she's clearly trying to hide a smile. I guess it was kind of funny; like karma.

"W-well…umm..." Yuri began, stuttering nervously. "Now that moment has passed." She took a deep breath and calmed herself. "How was your morning, Monika?" She inquired, with a shy smile.  
I blink, still not used to unscripted ques.  
"Fairly normal. Nothing exciting or interesting really. Thankfully the time didn't drag." I respond, almost at a loss for words. How do you articulate normality?

"Same here. Still; I guess it's all important in the end." Yuri admits, drinking from a juice box. I look over to Natsuki, who has been silent the whole time. Not unusual, she never talks while there's food on the table. I wonder how the relations with her Father are right now, given that he might now 'exist' in the game data. I make a mental note to check later.

Lunch time passes, our idle conversations cease and Class begins again. Music, my favourite of the day. I lose myself in the piano; the melody and the chords. My teacher says I'm a natural. I love the Piano, to the point where writing a song is on my 'bucket list'. That is, a list of things to do before I, well stop existing. Hopefully that won't happen any time soon.

Today myself and the class are taught simple tunes with our chosen instruments; playing in sequence and then together as a makeshift 'orchestra'. It seems we're all used to the notes now. The hardest part will be to write and design sheet music. My song does not feel so far away.

English soon follows, a perfect time to work on my poetry. We're allowed general free reign in approximately half our English curricular lessons; provided we have something to show for it afterward. The other half currently consists of breaking apart Romeo and Juliet, for the sake of our inevitable final Exams. But as the President of the literature club, I get left largely on my own. It's nice, being trusted to work independently.

The final lecture is science, a class I haven't been involved in. I sit at my desk; eagerly awaiting the Lecturer's arrival. He seemed to be running as bit late. Then; sure enough he arrives. A man with long blondish hair, and bright green eyes. Dressed in a lab coat rather than the standard faculty attire, he writes on the chalkboard. The other students look as surprised as I am. I then realise there's only a few students in this lecture. Me; a few other 'high scoring' students, And Jake.

"Good afternoon class." The lecturer Begins with a stern, calculating tone. "You have been cherry picked for my advanced lessons. So, count yourselves lucky."  
'Advanced lessons?' I ponder to myself. This doesn't feel like an ordinary school thing in the slightest. And why does this man seem so different to the others?

"My name is Evan. And Yes, I prefer to remain on first name basis." He continued, drawing a complex atomic compound. "Over the coming weeks, we will be looking at everything from long chain hydrocarbons, to the innumerable species of fungi. If you're lucky, I may even share my Knowledge of string theory, and Dimensional structure. That is; the science behind the universe itself." He had an oddly knowing smile on his face. I detected the briefest shift in his eyes, looking to me, and then Jake in a split second.

"Any questions?"  
I raise my hand without thinking.  
"Yes?" He looked at me, looking his attendance clipboard. "Monika, is it?" He put the board on his desk and sat down  
"That's right si-Evan. Um; I was just thinking. You're new here right?"  
He nods, ever so slightly. "Indeed. I was invited here after the last MEXT report. They believe there are not enough opportunities for Exemplary students. Thus; I am here to fill in that gap on the scientific side. I am certain there will be others for different subjects in the future.

And with that, he began to conduct the lesson. For once I felt adequately challenged; the level of complexity was incredible compared to the lessons I was used to, even those from the past two days. The lecture introduced and started to explain Compound composition and sequencing, how the position of atoms in the structure can make all the difference to the end result.

I wrote a lot of notes; but realised that Jake was sitting there, confident and comfortable. It was almost scary; like he's on a completely different level.  
"Right." Even concluded; writing something new on the Board. In turn each of us was called up to solve one. Then it was Jake's turn. But Evan had drawn up something far more complicated looking than the others, something that took up most of the board. He quickly filled in the blanks, writing each chemical component in turn, like a crossword.

"Excellent." Even smirked. "I would expect no less of you." He praised him. Even definitely has some connection with Jake; similar to myself and the other club members- and that 'atrocity'.  
"It's Oxytocin." Jake noted. "The….the love particle." He hesitated. A tear ran down his cheek. Or did it? Soon as it was there, it vanished in a tiny, pixelated mess. He looks hurt, like Love has stung him before.

Even was simply beside himself with glee, like a sensei training his prodigy. He turned to me, beckoning me to the Board.  
"Monika. Your turn next."


	7. Prose and problems

I find myself rather confused. It's the end of the lesson now, and I'm walking to the literature clubroom on the second floor. But something still bothers me. I am (without bragging) the model student of the school. I was coded to be the very best, in every academic and personality trait. Why is a different matter entirely, but I digress.

Now Jake has arrived, it has put my skills into perspective. I'm rather gifted, but he possess a level of intellect that is impossible for someone his age. Those equations were definitely above high school level, possibly some kind of higher education that exists in the real world. I pause for a moment, and check his files again. There's something new, an executable file that simply reads .

Qauls probably stands for qualifications, if intuition serves. But what does the other part stand for? It has to be linked to all this, since a cross-reference of the rollback log confirms the file was executed recently. But that appears to be the only 'new' file. I confess that I should probably check this more often; I know the players often do in this 'game'.

Which is funny really, now the game is basically playing me, and I'm not entirely sure how that makes me fee-  
"MONIKA!"  
I blink, realising I had flopped against the wall in a daydream. Yuri stands over me; visibly worried and likely wondering if I need a doctor.  
"Y-Yuri?" I try to speak, still a little dazed from the sudden snap back to reality. "I-I'm alright, I was just daydreaming."

She helps me to my feet, eyebrow raised in curiosity.  
"Daydreaming? Th-that's unlike you Monika. What's on your mind?" She softly smiles, In her almost unnervingly calm way.  
"Just…well the last lesson I was in. It was really strange." I explain, continuing to talk down the hallway with her.

"That sounds incredibly difficult, yet fascinating. I've never been good with the sciences personally. Maybe we'll all be in a special English class soon though." Yuri surmised after listening to my recount in full. I opened the door to the clubroom and entered. The others were already here; Jake already teasing Sayori, eating a cupcake right in front of her face.

"Aw come on!" She pouts, grabbing his arm and trying to pull the sweet treat from his grasp. I had never seen Sayori like this, almost lovey-dovey. It had certainly been implied in the base game that this occurred often, but to see it first-hand was very different. I…I don't much like it.

I hate to admit it, but such a sight plants a pit of Jealousy in my gut. I'm the broken sentient one here, and I'll be damned if the first genuine person I've ever met is going to take him from me. But maybe I won't need my underhanded tactics. This game doesn't seem to have 'routes' anymore. In fact, it all seems in a flux. Like a complicated algorithm has taken place of it all. The poem minigame still exists, but the parameters are vastly different.

Never mind. They are still my friends, after all. I sit at my usual desk, stifling a giggle as Sayori winds up with cupcake on her face instead of her intention.  
"Hehe~ Looks like I win again." Jake Jests, relaxing in his seat and waving to Yuri and me.  
"W-well you finally showed up at least." Natsuki noted in her usual snottiness. Her personality genuinely annoys me, like she feels personally attacked by everything. Natsuki is a nice girl, she's just incredibly rude and obnoxious. Possibly due to her upbringing I suppose.

"Monika practically collapsed Natsuki." Yuri retorted, glaring at the other judgementally. Natsuki simply shrunk in her seat, a guilty expression on her face. She needed that sometimes, to realise when she crosses the line. Still though, she looks cute and defenceless when she shrinks like that, kind of like a kitten.

"Okay everyone!" I speak out to cut through the tension, smiling proudly. "Did you all bring something in for today's session?"  
Everyone nods, the girls all producing a piece of paper. Jake meanwhile fumbles in his bag for something, and Sayori hops out of her seat to help him. Using my 'abilities' I look round, to see Jake for once in a flap, no longer so cool and collected. Sayori Produces a folded sheet of paper from a smaller compartment, and Jake sighs with relief.

The two emerge from under the table, Jake unfolding the paper neatly. I'm not sure why he would hide it. Maybe he was worried about the paper tearing. Nevertheless, He paces the paper on the table. This is the moment he shares he work, as in the game. Sayori is first, who seems incredibly impressed.

That doesn't speak wonders though. Sayori is very easily impressed, or at least overly optimistic despite everything. Then Yuri gets her chance. She appears rather taken aback. And why wouldn't she? Unlike the players of times previous, Jake appears to be a far more experienced writer, and the advanced coding seems to take this into account with the script.

"Wow. I really love the use of metaphors in this." She carefully critiqued the words, re-reading carefully.  
"B-But, I see a few small plot holes and grammar errors. I-I think you just need to take your time more. You um…you do seem to rush a lot."  
Jake chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his scalp in a nonchalant manner. I had never picked up on that in the English class. Thanks Yuri.

Suddenly; paper is thrust in my face. I grab it in shock and begin to read. It's...not a poem.

-Cold. So cold. Blood like energy coursing through my like ice in my veins. I sit on my throne of Ivory; amongst my fellow council. Uniform all neat as usual, speaking in hushed tones. The enemy have grown stronger, more Confident. A revolution is feared; but our Chief taxation assures them that our defences are impenetrable. Famous last words.

And me? I'm just the clean-up guy. Not a janitor, 'clean up' is a very different term in this council. It is synonymous with 'assassin', and is a very grisly job. I wait patiently, the bureaucracy deaf to my ears. I am instead conscious of their breathing, their chests rising and falling. But no heartbeat. Never a heartbeat. That was true of all of us. The empty shells of a dying an angry world.

I hate it; this grim and evil life. And yet, as my knife lingers in my pocket, I long for my next mission. A bizarre Psychotic sense to feel, but the only feeling that remains. It's certainly more fun than listening to the elder members argue semantics all the time. Their eyes are all upon me. It is time. My eyes shimmer blue. My heart would pound, if it existed. -

I barely finished reading, when his voiced chirped up.  
"What do you think?" He asked, with a sweetness in his voice, scarily contrasting with the tone of work he had just presented to me.

Thanks for all the reviews and support folks! Hope you're all enjoying the journey so far. Sorry the chapters seem short. I limit myself to a 1000 ish words per chapter style. It gives me scope to keep things brief, and prevents me from rambling.

Anyway; let me know what you all think. And Happy new year, by the way!  
~Chaoticjexak 


	8. Suspicions arise

Somehow I still can't let go of the Short story I read. It was Jarring, terrifying even. Nothing about Jake even makes the slightest bit of sense; his intellect, the glitches surrounding him, or the incredible size of his .chr file. No; this was not just some indie horror game anymore. This was an advanced simulation of some kind.

For the rest of that club session I confess I kind of zoned out; trying to unpick that story. Was he a hitman in a previous life? Or maybe that was one of his parent's (possibly both) job? But the mention of a lack of heartbeat was what unsettled me the most. Like a reference to the undead or something. Not only that, but this 'council' is something I must learn more about, one way or another.

I've been checking his code again. His qualifications are odd to say the least. Repeated mentions of 'MIT', and Quantum physics among the listed certificates. Now I may only be an A.I; But I know that is among the most complex sciences of all, and is not high school grade by any stretch of the imagination. Not only that, but his stats page is glitched to all hell. Low in agility, but with a strength score that simply reads 1899. Cross-referencing with my own score of 9 (slightly below average) this is somewhat messed up.

Beyond all that though; it seems the timeline does not follow standard practice. I thought this week would be the run up to the festival, but that's actually not for another month or so at least. Kind of a relief really. Still; Even set some pretty out-there homework, so I can't just relax. He has asked us all to do research on 'the workings of the heart'. Specifically, at the high end, including how heart disease affects the heartbeat In full detail, and the robustness of arterial veins. Pretty creepy actually. Though at Least I don't have to cut up a frog…yet.

It is roughly 8pm by the time I have made a small essay on my findings. Having nothing better to do; I check up on Jake's house again. He's watching something on TV with an old man I can only assume is his grandad. They are both eating some long red sweet called 'red vines. But Jake's smile is off-almost in pain. Another strange glitch; and for a brief second, he is somewhere else.

He's sitting on a white bed, in a white room, all alone. The one window behind him is in the exact shame shape as the symbol from before. I can only see his face, as the rest of him is pixelated to all hell-censored I suppose, but he isn't nude. In that one frame there is a cold deadness in his eyes; like when Sayori took her own life.

Then reality shifts back in; and they are both laughing at something on the TV. What the hell. I spend the rest of the night scouring the files trying to find that symbol, without sleep. I didn't find anything; but I noticed something in the background all the time. Eyes; watching me. Someone on the outside looking in. I see a new note in my own files.

'Please stop looking for thing's you don't understand. I'm trying to fix it all-trust me. Searching will only make it worse.' Those two sentences sent a chill down my spine. I guess this must be how the players felt when I did all those things.

The next morning is hell. I'm tired, and barely responsive. Dad gives an understanding nod. Breakfast is already on the table; and I have never been so thankful for a glass of orange juice. I head to school by myself; Catching up with the rest of the literature club on the way. Natsuki hands me a cupcake, and I realise I forgot to check up on her last night. What makes matters worse is a small bruise on her neck. It could be nothing; but that line of thinking is not going to give me any closure.

Sayori doesn't speak much, so it must be one of her 'bad days'. Jake is vainly trying to cheer her up, even going so far as to purposefully fall over. This only prompts her to tear up and help him up. Guess you can't fault him for trying. And Yuri? Completely normal-thank god. She's absorbed in her creepy ass book again. Something about mental facilities or something, I don't care to remember.

The bell for first lesson rings, and we all pile into class. First period is English; but the teacher has been replaced.. Instead of the usual boring teacher, standing at the board is a young man with indigo hair, wearing a black suit and tie. He can't be much older than me, but he's definitely edgy looking enough to pass as an author. Hell he probably wrote Yuri's damn book.

"Good morning class. My name is Ienzo, and I'll be taking over from…uh…. whoever was here previously I suppose. I was told they retired. Anyway; I understand we are working on William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'. So If you could all turn to chapter 4; and we'll begin to deconstruct this in detail."

He seemed competent enough, and kind of cute I suppose. But boy was he a closet emo. Not that I'm being judgemental of course. But what a weird name. Oh well. The lesson went on as per normal. Again I noticed that Jake has a really weird connection with the guy. Like when Ienzo looks at him; it's like he recognises him. I mean they do look a bit alike, heck maybe they are distant cousins or something. Stranger things have certainly happened, and I should know. Towards the end of the lesson something really weird happens.

"Thank you all class. Now Jexa-I mean Jake… I need to speak to you after class. You're not in trouble, don't worry."  
.Hell. Calling a Jake a Jacob is one thing, but that was not a common mistake. Who on earth are these people?


	9. The endless road

'I saw the loneliest road; no lights or warmth for miles. Both directions stretching on until eternity. No intersections or turns, just the infinite bleak highway. No car; no escape from the hell of my own paving. Isolated from life, my weary soul sits on the guard rail. Only the passing wind keeps me company. There is no moon, no life here whatsoever. But there was once.

Before the highway, this place was a lush meadow; complete with a rainbow of flowers and grasses. The sun would shine constantly, a pleasant warmth of familiarity. But it's all gone now. Happiness traded for progress and convenience. My inner world has died; as has my drive to continue. All that remains is her spark. The faintest hope of revival. My childhood friend.'

This is today's literature from him. Worrying, how such a chipper boy can write such morose prose. Perhaps it's a cry for help, a means of escapism. That was ever more apparent in his conversation prior with this 'Enzio'. It had gone as thus.

"It is good to finally meet you, Mr. Bishop." Enzio had begun, with an odd expression, as if Jake was familiar to him. "I have heard a great deal about your academic abilities, and your extracurricular talents." Yet the young man said nothing in response. His face was a mix of sadness and puzzlement. I could tell his mind was searching for a memory that wasn't there. He knew this man, and the mysterious Even also. But not anymore. My mind began to run wild with theories.

"I see your confusion. Do not fear; all will become apparent in time. You see; I'm also the school councillor now. We've received some…eh…reports about your writing is all." Jake shrugged.  
"What can I say, I'm a profound person underneath my jokes and memes." He replied; his smile clearly fake.  
"Just. If you ever need help or someone to talk to, I'll be here." Such words were not spoken in the manner of a professional, but more like that of a concerned friend.

Chilling, looking back on it. Only accentuated now by this short story. So emotive and yet purposefully incomplete. He had shown it to Sayori first, obviously. She would probably understand that more than anyone. That bothers me, honestly. I don't want to admit I'm jealous of her, but this always happens. Even though the world has changed my story will probably turn out the same. And yet I can't re-write anything now, not that I'd want to.

Despite that, Sayori has been surprisingly down today. It's probably nothing. In any case; I have to investigate these three strange newcomers in my life somehow. so, while he's busy chatting to the other girls, I look back into the code. And…nothing. No Evan, no Enzio. As if they don't even exist. Are they outsiders, not even part of the code, or are they hidden? Encrypted maybe? It seems odd that they have detailed models and personality, and yet no code to show for it.

"Monika; are you okay? You're staring off into space again…" The sound of Yuri snapped me back into reality. Looking at the clock, it was time to conclude the literature club for the day. Jake and Sayori had apparently left already, in sombre silence. Yuri hands me a cup of chai tea. 

"You've been doing that a lot lately. Is everything okay at home? M-maybe stress from your studies?" She inquires kindly. Was I okay? So much has changed and sometimes it all seems too much to take in. My heart has been swept from under me by an enigmatic guy, who writes like van goth paints-yet smiles like an entertainer. Who am I anymore? I realise I'm drifting off again, and take a sip of the tea. The sharpness brings me back to the ground. 

"I'm okay Yuri; nothing's wrong at the moment. It's just the new boy. He's really something, Isn't he?" I chuckle, and Yuri nods in approval  
"He's such a deep thinker. Truly the Epitome of 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'.'" Yuri replied. "Seems like my t-type too, all dark and brooding underneath that smile." Her words cut deep. Of course, she would like that too. I don't want to fight my friends, but I can't lose…not again. I think this time would just kill me. No; this time I'll just be honest, use my words like a poet should.

"I really like him too. He's pretty sweet. He's smart and funny and has the face of an angel." Yuri smirks and raises an eyebrow.  
"Perfect Monika has a crush on the modern-day Oscar Wilde? Interesting development. You'll have a challenge then, between like a lot of other girls." Yuri Joked. I knew all too well, but I laughed anyway. I've gotten pretty good at fake laughing now. A cup of tea later, and Yuri and I left together, reaching the road leading from school to part ways.  
"See you tomorrow." We said to one another, waving. It was a friendly goodbye, but we both knew what the other was thinking.

As I made my way home all I could think about was that story. For the longest time my life was like that road. Eternal and repetitive. No life beyond the tarmac and myself. But I kept going on that road, and I know he will too. And now we have found each other on that path. Maybe…just maybe, we can build a new road. One that leads to a field of flowers.


	10. His Broken mask

I have made a grave mistake. Even as I write this log, the chills of the past day have frozen my spine and brought bile to the back of my throat. I hate myself for being so foolish. I should have seen it sooner. The strange men; the unusual 'statistics. His stories just not adding up. This 'Jake' Is no man; but something far more sinister. And yet I can't help falling deeper in love. I know I will have to reset the timeline again somehow in a moment; but this time it is not my fault.

Before I went to sleep last night the world experienced glitching to a level even I have never seen before. The sky turned into a red-lined grid, buildings become transparent, and everyone appeared almost like they were…dead. Shadows moving as if entities, and more of those unusual symbols. I cried, clutching my pillow at this new level of madness. And the screams! If shrill inhuman beeps can even be considered such. My night has been filled with horrific nightmares. I saw this 'Eienzo' communicating with Even, acting more like scientists than simple teachers.

Perhaps that sounds normal, but the room was like nothing on school premises. It was a large grey walled room, no windows or doors; lined with computers and water-filled tanks. There was another man there, apparently the leading director. He was an intimidating bald old man, with fiery amber eyes. Perhaps that part was just a figment of my imagination. But that does not explain the out-of-place shadowy silhouette in the background, of a roughly 6ft tall man with pure yellow eyes.

The last I remember was my dream self-walking toward this figure as the room turned black. It was then I realised it not to be a shadow, but some humanoid being with incredibly dark skin. He seemed so familiar, and yet so unnervingly alien.

The next morning; everything seemed normal. But this was just to be the beginning. I began my breakfast in the usual way, My father reading the paper.

"Disgusting." He spat, likely at something he was reading. "Someone should find this sorry excuse for a man and put him to the chair." He continued. Those words were Jarring. I had never even thought that my father would speak in such a manner.

"That sounds harsh even for you, Darling." My mother piped up, cleaning the dishes.  
"Perhaps for the usual bread-n-butter crook, yes. But what I'm reading here is somethin' else. Says here they found a body in the street in the wee hours of the morning. Well, least they think that's what it is. The reporter has written here that the corpse was but a mangle of pulped flesh and bone, as if someone molded the poor person like clay. DNA report is still pending-but the family will be first to know I guess."

What. The. Hell?! That must have been a result of last nights malfunction, I thought at the time. Though deep down I think I already knew of one other possibility-but I daren't admit it until now. I quickly finished eating my breakfast and rushed to school early, making my excuses about meeting with friends. I was the first one there.

I found Evan in the car park, vaping. He didn't seem the slightest bit surprised to see me. He beckoned me over.  
"Good morning. Monika, is it not?" He greeted with a faint smile. I nodded, carefully analysing him. After last night, I didn't trust him one bit.  
"Ah yes, I have heard a great deal about your…capabilities. Not all of them academic of course." He chuckled, and then his tone changed to a cold whisper. "I'd be careful if I were you. You aren't the only one around here that saw that 'problem' with true eyes. I'm investigating the cause on my own terms; but I fear you may be the only one can resolve this mess."  
I opened my mouth to speak, but he pressed his finger to his lips.  
"We really should not speak of it. When the time Is right I will share with you any research I have gleaned. In the meantime-watch your back. And don't take your eyes off of him."

I told myself I didn't Know who Evan was referring to. I convinced myself that this was all a glitch. However, it would soon dawn on me that this new 'developer' was not the only one pulling stings in this game. I stood there in the car park for a while, making small talk with Evan. You wouldn't have thought it by his appearance; but he's a real cat person.

Time passed quickly; and soon it was time for class. First and second period were pretty forgettable, standard lessons. At Lunch I met with the literature club. Sayori wasn't in today, likely ill. But ? He was super off. He barely spoke, said he had received some bad news that he didn't want to talk about. Foolishly; I tried to hug and console him. His body was cold as ice, mirroring his response to me. He didn't push me off, he just stared. Half looking through me, his expression silently crying for help I couldn't give.

I don't remember much after that; namely due to my mind being preoccupied with worries and theories. I gave him the benefit of the doubt; feared that perhaps he just lost his grandpa. He didn't attend the Literature club that day; and in my stupidity I stalked him. He didn't go home, as I expected. He rounded a corner and ran with purpose; so fast I could barely keep up.

Eventually he darted into the local police station, and as I too entered; the doors into the station proper and been busted open with the force of a truck. Inside were muffled sounds of a scuffle. I cautiously made my way further in; following a trail of blood. The penny finally dropped when I stepped over the bodies of several police officers, bloodied and mauled to mush, bones protruding from shattered ligaments.

Sure enough; the devastation grew more desperate and extreme the further I travelled. I paused at the room he had entered. The coroner's office. I could here sobbing. I couldn't bring myself to enter, so I used my third eye to look ahead. The room was ominously dark. But there he was, Crying on the mangled body featured in the morning paper. He was holding a bloodied red bow in his hands.  
"I…it's all my fault, Isn't it"

I couldn't believe my ears. I refused. But the evidence was all there. But I was foolish. Instead of stepping in, I fell back into my old habit. Delete and move on. Was I truly so desperate for love?


End file.
